


Acquisitions

by inelegantly (Lir)



Series: SWAG 2016 Fills [22]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, F/F, Mafia Donna Eli, Negotiations, Right Hand Woman Nozomi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-05-31 13:20:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6471556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lir/pseuds/inelegantly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>It isn't Nozomi's business to know things like names and titles and net personal income. It's her business to watch, to catch things that Eli misses. In that regard, she likes to think they make an excellent team.</p>
</blockquote><p>In which Eli is a mafia donna, and Nozomi is her right hand, there to watch Eli's back — and to enforce her decisions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Acquisitions

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the sports anime winter games, with the following song lyrics as a prompt: "My persuasion can build a nation / Endless power, with our love we can devour / You'll do anything for me."

-

Eli puts her makeup on in the car. 

The streets are paved smooth and their driver handles the road well, but there's still something impressive about it, watching the steadiness of Eli's hands moving in front of her face. Nozomi settles back against the seat across from Eli, folds her hands across her lap, and allows herself the freedom to _observe._

Between the two of them, Nozomi finds herself doing a lot of that. 

They draw up to the house, an elaborate feat of neo-Victorian architecture belonging to some businessman or politician, Nozomi doesn't know which. It isn't her business to know, not things like names and titles and net personal income. It's her business to watch, to catch things that Eli misses. In that regard, she likes to think they make an excellent team. 

Eli holds down the buzzer outside the door, and speaks "Ayase" against the crackle of the intercom. 

Even while waiting, Eli is composed, from the calm of her voice to the set of her face, expertly painted and regal as a queen's. None of the socialites they call on would ever know it's a mask. The door swings inward, revealing a manservant who offers to take their coats, to show them inside. 

"Thank you," Eli says, as she slides heavy fabric off her shoulders. "I'd like to see Mr. Pryce as soon as possible."

Nozomi says nothing, but while Eli's gaze is averted toward the stair, an aloof picture of anticipation as she looks toward their host's arrival, Nozomi's stare follows the manservant as he departs with the coats. He vanishes briefly into a closet down the side hall, then disappears up a back stair quickly removed from Nozomi's sight. To all appearances they are — for the moment — alone. 

"Is there anything you'd like me to look out for?" Nozomi asks, drifting closer to Eli and gifting her with a secretive smile. 

Eli's posture relaxes, if only by a hair, only by a measure so infinitesimal that to anyone besides Nozomi it would not have been noticed at all. Nozomi's fingers dance up to brush at the inside of Eli's wrist and for a moment Eli takes her hand, lacing their fingers together and giving it a squeeze. 

"Only the usual," Eli says. "Mr. Pryce is the last of them." 

Ah, that. Eli releases her hand, but Nozomi has already learned everything she needed to know. They have been making arrangements with businesses, bartering and coaxing the owners into providing Eli the leeway she needs here, the resources she requires there. No one looped into her little underground empire would think to defy her, when Ayase Eli is sharp and business-savvy and more than a little bit dangerous. 

But there are companies who don't have deals with this little family Nozomi belongs to, and its those negotiations that require her — and Eli's — personal touch to cement. 

"I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting," a voice says from above them, followed by the soft footfalls of tailored shoes descending the carpeted stair. "There was a spot of other business I had to clear up." 

"It isn't a problem," Eli says, smiling thinly at the man who could be none other than Mr. Pryce. "Where would you like to conduct our personal discussion?" 

"Upstairs, in the study," Pryce says. "If you will." 

The invitation provides Nozomi with another opportunity to observe. The man's house is fine, everything neatly cleaned and ordered and not a painting out of place on the wall, a mote of dust present on a bannister, a stain visible on any of the draperies. The carpet leading down the upstairs hall is thick beneath her feet, the walls hung with curious modern artwork. Mr. Pryce leads them in through a doorway, into a study that is as richly decorated as the outside, if done up in a darker, more somber hue.

Mr. Pryce seats himself in an armchair before the writing desk huddling in the back of the room, and invites Eli and Nozomi with one gesture to take up places of their own on the low couch opposite him. 

"I'd like to discuss the merger," Eli says, as she slides into her seat. 

"Merger?" Pryce echoes, offering her a warm, genial laugh. "You must be mistaken. We aren't meeting to discuss mergers." 

"Oh?" Eli asks, a hint of chill creeping into her voice. "In that case what, pray tell, are we here to discuss?" 

"Acquisitions," Pryce says, with some relish. 

"If you mean some of my assets," Eli says, "then I am afraid you are equally mistaken. That isn't within the realm of things I'm willing to negotiate." 

"In that case, we seem to be at an impasse." 

"It does seem to be that way," Eli agrees. "But considering that I _have_ come all this way only to speak with you, I don't suppose there's anything I can do to... Persuade you more broadly, into considering our side of things?" 

Mr. Pryce stares down his nose, with a look Nozomi very much considers to be that of an adult who believes he's scolding a child. It's clear to _her_ that this man never intended to treat them as equals to begin with — let alone as serious competition he ought to be concerned about. She wonders whether the whispers about Eli's reputation have entirely eluded him, as far as his nose is stuck up in the air. 

"I'm afraid not," he pronounces, with great seriousness. 

"In that case," Nozomi cuts in, rising before Eli even has the chance. "We'll just have to take our leave, won't we?" 

"If you don't wish to consider my offer..." Pryce begins. "Then I do see no other option." 

"That is most unfortunate," Eli says, rising as well. "Please, give me a call if you do reconsider." 

Nozomi takes a moment to glance behind her, Eli being the one to swoop gracefully from the room without a look back. Nozomi looks right at Mr. Pryce, needing only a moment to examine his lined, aging face, his just-receding hairline, his neatly-pressed, expensive clothes. She needs only that glimpse, to be certain she will remember the person who wrote them off. 

Once she has it, Nozomi follows Eli out of the room and back down the hall. The manservant reappears to present them with their coats, and in the next moment they're again on the front step, outside, as if they had never entered that fine house at all. 

The car is still waiting along the drive, its presence painting a picture that is simple and ordinary.

"We are going to see about the merger, aren't we?" Nozomi asks, a coy little smile tugging at her lips.

"Of course," Eli agrees, as she leads the way back to the car. "That is — providing it's quite all right with you." 

Between the two of them, Nozomi most often finds herself the observer. But as Eli glances back at her, slim eyebrows arched in a question both of them already know the answer to, Nozomi can't help but smile wider at the _other_ role she plays within their partnership.

"Of course," Nozomi says. "I'll take care of it." 

Before she slides into the backseat of the car, she glances up again at the lovely, faux-antiquated architecture of the house belonging to Mr. Nathaniel Pryce, CEO. She'll be back, and this time, Mr. Pryce will not be saying no.

-

-


End file.
